We made a trip to North Carolina to visit my maternal grandmother when our children were 12 and 6. A bent-over but jovial farm wife, Granny loved to tell jokes and tales. We took a tape recorder to record her talking to our girls in her colloquial mountain speech. The girls asked her about school and this is what she said:
“I grew up in the Appalachian foothills with two sisters and one younger brother. We were short of money, but we were happy. We had a one-room schoolhouse right next door to the church house with just one teacher. We walked barefoot along a little path through the forest to get there, and toted our lunch in a tin pail. Sometimes I didn’t want to go because the woods were dark and I was scart. I only went through 3rd grade.”
My quilt is a tribute to my Granny. I drew a pattern for the path, grass and woods, and created the background with cotton, silk and hand dyed fabrics from Frieda Anderson and Mickey Lawler. The quilting was done with Ricky Tims Studio Colors thread, which has a nice sheen. The flowers are hand-embroidered with Laura Wasilowski’s hand-dyed thread using her whimsical ideas. I found a picture in a coloring book of a little girl in a bonnet, and used that image to create the barefoot little girl. When all was finished, I added a tiny bow to her apron that I made with hand-dyed yarn purchased years ago in Houston, along with her small tin pail. I’m sure my Granny never had such fine school clothes, but for my quilt, I wanted her to have only the best!
Beautiful tribute! I read that the Appalachian accent came from the old English that was spoken at the time of the English immigration. With the contracted words like scart. In a way like listening to Shakespeare. Being isolated the language never changed over time. Watching the movies from the golden age of Hollywood I am amazed at how quickly our language evolves. Great quilt and tale.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful quilt and such a lovely "tale" from your own life and the lives of your family! I truly love your quilt and love the story. And Gail's comments above are so interesting!
ReplyDeleteOH ! What an amazing Story, and how incredible that you made such a beautiful quilt to share with all of us. I could really, really feel your story... Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to portray your own family tale. Your grandmother would love how you depicted her. So sweet and the colors are beautiful. Just darling!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating & colorful "tale" with a quilt to match! Thank you for sharing.
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